City Life
This city places and directions ESL lesson teaches urban vocabulary, location phrases and route instructions. Students identify city sounds, describe where places are and race to give directions on mini maps. They write about favourite places in their city and roleplay a tourist asking a local how to reach a museum.
7-day trial · Card required · €0 today · Cancel before renewal
Lesson format
2 × 45 minutes
Level
Pre-Intermediate
Age group
Ages 10–13
Main focus
Speaking first
What students will learn
Lesson flow
Students guess city sounds like a bus horn or metro, learn city-place vocabulary saying 'There's a hospital next to the school,' and drill 'Where is the bus stop? It's on King Street, next to the museum.' The second lesson listens to a City Life Interview video, races to give directions on mini city maps, writes 'My City' describing favourite places, and roleplays a tourist asking a local for directions to the museum.
Target language
- • 'Where is the...?' / 'How do I get to...?'
- • Prepositions of place (next to, across from)
- • Direction phrases (turn left, go straight)
- • City places vocabulary
Key vocabulary
- skyscraper
- traffic
- pollution
- park
- neighbourhood
- transport
- museum
- theatre
- nightlife
- community
Speaking questions students answer
- • Where is the museum?
- • How do you get to school?
- • Do you live near a park?
- • What's your favourite place in town?
- • Is the bank next to the bus stop?
Recommended teaching contexts
Why this lesson works
The lesson follows a clear progression: Guess city sounds in a City Sound Match warm-up, ask 'Where is the...?' using prepositions, write about their city and roleplay a tourist-and-local scene. Teachers can open the materials and start immediately, while students move from supported vocabulary practice to purposeful spoken English.